 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey,
Just jointed the forum and wanted to ask some newbie questions.
This march my friends and I are going to Les Deux Alpes for some snowboarding, however I have only a couple of days experience skiing and no experience in boarding at all. I looked around and it seems that Les Deux Alpes is not the best place for beginners (my friends are also thinking of going freeride there). However I am going to have around 5-6 days of time to snowboard locally, maybe some extra if I get time off work.
My question is will I be able to handle Les Deux Alpes with only 5-6 days of snowboarding and would I be able to freeride as well?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@snowsomething, Welcome to Snowheads  I know nothing about snowboarding but know L2A very, very well. There are beginner slopes at resort level and gentle slopes from 2100m up to 3400m. You ought to be able to find something to progress on. Whether you'll get as far as freeriding, I have no idea I'm afraid. Lessons are probably a good idea, try European Ski School.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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My question is will I be able to handle Les Deux Alpes with only 5-6 days of snowboarding and would I be able to freeride as well?
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Frankly, unless you are a gifted and brave athlete with a high pain threshold the answer is "no". But in 5 - 6 days, if you take lessons every day, you should make really good progress. It's a perfectly good place to learn, though you will probably need to ride down in a lift if you go up to the higher slopes. If your mates are already good snowboarders you are unlikely to be able to keep up with them.
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Well, expect for one of my friends, most of them have experiencing ranging from 10 to 20-25 days on board (only started last year), not sure if freeride isn't actually kinda a reckless choice for them as well.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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and welcome to Snowheads. 
my son, a good snowboarder, did have the experience of introducing a brave and athletic guy with a high pain threshold to snowboarding. He was riding red runs, well, by the end of the week. But not freeriding. My son, no slouch himself at doing some fairly daft stuff, said the scariest thing he ever saw was that guy fling himself straight down a slightly bumpy blue run the first time he strapped on a board.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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L2A is just fine for snowboarders, some nice wide gentle slopes. Probably better to finish the day off with a few drinks in Pano bar and then download rather than attempt the home run as a beginner tho.
I can't see you being able to 'freeride' after 5 days but you never know.
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I taught my ex to snowboard in LDA and didn't have any issues apart from the odd wipeout and tears but that's standard. The fact that they have created a blue run back to the town instead of that horrible crowded green or nasty black will make life much easier.
If you're reasonably sporty you should be linking turns in 2-3 days. I would advise on wearing bum protection and possibly wristguards.
Have you booked the trip yet?
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With only 25 days on a snowboard unless your friends are particularly gifted I can't see them doing much "freeride". I imagine they might be riding off the edge of runs and in-between but I can't see them heading to La Grave. As others have said get some lessons and improve your riding by the end of the week you should be comfortable getting about, playing catch-up with a faster group soon becomes tiring. Due to the altitude of the glacier if you're riding up there you'll probably be knackered and ready for a beer by lunchtime anyway.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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A group of us late 30 somethings went to Les Deux Alpes for our second week snowboarding. We'd had lessons on the previous trip but not in L2A. Thought it was an ideal resort with plenty of wide steady runs. All but one of the group boarded down every day and I understand there is a new blue home run this season?
You'll be fine!
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Thank you everyone for the help and input!
Yea the trip is already booked.
By the home run I presume you mean the big downwards part to the beginner slopes? From what I gathered there is a long green which should be manageable even without much experience .
As for the freeride I think 2-3 of them may be able to manage, but I think the others are just way too overconfident, however as I have no experience in it I don't know how hard it actually is. Is it generally harder than for example reds? Or it largely depends on the location?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| snowsomething wrote: |
By the home run I presume you mean the big downwards part to the beginner slopes? From what I gathered there is a long green which should be manageable even without much experience .
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Yes I mean the run back to resort. But, don't be fooled by "green" meaning easy! Green runs may not be steep, but are often just narrow tracks which can be a challenge on a snowboard. Especially with loads of timid skiers taking the full width of the run in wide snowplows!
But I have seen a thread on here about a new blue run for this year that should be easier to handle.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| snowsomething wrote: |
As for the freeride I think 2-3 of them may be able to manage, but I think the others are just way too overconfident, however as I have no experience in it I don't know how hard it actually is. Is it generally harder than for example reds? Or it largely depends on the location? |
Facepalm
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Is it generally harder than for example reds? Or it largely depends on the location?
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Largely dependent on snow conditions rather than location as such, I guess (though that also applies to skiing on piste).
But, for the unwary/inexperienced it's far more dangerous than skiing on piste because of the avalanche danger. And many standard insurance policies won't cover you off piste without a guide.
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You know it makes sense.
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There will definitely be a new blue run open for this winter. We were up in resort last Sunday and you can see the run making its way down to resort.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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By the home run I presume you mean the big downwards part to the beginner slopes? From what I gathered there is a long green which should be manageable even without much experience .
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Yeah I meant the green run. However it is narrow and exceedingly crowded at home time and loads of people who aren't very good use it because its green. So it is absolute carnage. what might be easy when empty becomes a real challenge when busy and full of other unpredictable beginners or intermediots going too fast for their skill and the conditions.
But as others have said, there is a new blue.
Seriously though, by far the best way to finish a day at L2A is with several drinks at the pano bar for happy hour and then a download. Its an awesome bar.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Seriously though, by far the best way to finish a day at L2A is with several drinks at the pano bar for happy hour and then a download. Its an awesome bar.
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+1
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've boarded in LDA a few times (in fact, I'm going back this January  ) and I can safely say that unless you can link turns in a very narrow space DO NOT attempt the green run home at the end of the day! I did, it took forever, I had to edge most of it and it totally destroyed my legs for the rest of the week. It's so much easier to download and anyway, you can be sat with a beer before the others make it down.
I'm looking forward to trying the new blue run, you may be able to get down that but it just depends on how well you progress during the week. Best plan would be to get lessons and see how it goes.
Hope you have a good time.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Don't board that green home, its hell! You will though, everyone does it once, then we come on here and futiley warn others not to ;o) freeriding is not necessarily so much super-hard as potentially-dangerous (there is a lot of accessible terrain, that's one reason why so many boarders head there), for your first week though it's probably a bit much even on a board so just-say-no is my advice until you know enough to make smart choices  Aj x
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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as above, they are 100% building a new blue run down that's due to open in December which should make the home run a bit quieter.
off to l2a on Friday for the weekend
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| snowsomething wrote: |
... however I have only a couple of days experience skiing and no experience in boarding at all....
will I be able to handle Les Deux Alpes with only 5-6 days of snowboarding and would I be able to freeride as well? |
LDA is ok for beginners; not the easiest but certainly not the hardest place.
Considering you aren't going until March, you should probably look at just getting a few lessons at a local dry slope or snowdome. Dry slopes in particular have pretty unforgiving surface which basically forces you have good technique; it would give you a good head start in preparation of your trip.
Cheers,
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just don't go near the green home run on board or skis! It is one of the most horrible runs in the Alps (or any other mountain range). And depending on the winter we have by March the snow on valley bottom slopes may be great or rubbish! (I may be biased, the last time I went down it I was on one leg having torn my calf muscle!
Other than that you'll be fine. As a beginner you will either be around Cretes or high up on the mountain where there are really nice runs to get started on, though be warned the L2A piste grading is a little random in places!
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Did my first ever holiday in l2a and can confirm the green run to resort is horrific. No matter how horrific though I did it five days out of seven convincing myself that real skiers ski back down and everytime I swore a lot and was in agony by the end.
Going back on 19th March and will come down the blacks now I am a decent skier. As for free riding I suggest you give that a big miss for a few years until you are competent on piste
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im going in Jan - beginner boarder, whats so bad about the green>?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Sarny, Very narrow (basically its a small road/track cut into the side of the slope), very crowded and a very high proportion of the crowd have very little control or are in a snowplough so wide they are taking up most of the available width and are only doing it through the misguided notion real skiers/boarders ride their planks all the way down. Far more sensible to just have a drink in the Pano bar and catch the last lift down
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Ah I know the run done many of them over the years, this year though as I'm not skiing as I have been for 10yrs, snd on board for he first time I may give it miss.
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